


Brother to Most; Lover to One

by charmed_seconds



Series: Pisces and Scorpio [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Pidge | Katie Holt, Hurt Shiro (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Actual Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-12 16:10:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19232527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charmed_seconds/pseuds/charmed_seconds
Summary: Days trickled by. The other Paladins popped in periodically but Shiro honestly didn’t give them much thought. The oxygen mask that once covered Keith’s face was replaced with a breathing tube, a soft swooshing noise filling the silence that once encompassed the room. More and more bags were added to the IV pole. Another port was added to Keith’s other arm to pump more drugs into the lithe body.And Shiro ran out of tears to weep.





	Brother to Most; Lover to One

Everything seemed to be going okay. Keith was improving. He was off oxygen within a few hours after he regained consciousness. He was alert and eating small foods. 

 

Everything seemed to be going okay.

 

Then it wasn’t. 

 

He left that night on Keith’s urging. He wanted to stay but the young man all but ordered him to go home, to clean up and to rest. So he did. Keith was awake, the worse was over. 

 

He came back to a redfaced Keith who was struggling to breathe. A doctor was placing a mask back on him and barking orders, pausing when he saw Shiro standing in the doorway, the bouquet of flowers in his hand falling limp in his hold. “What happened?” he breathed.

 

The doctor frowned and headed closer. “He turned septic during the night.” He explained, “We’re combating it with high-dose antibiotics.” 

 

Shiro’s eyes looked up the doctor briefly before they went back to Keith. “He...he was fine.”

 

“Sepsis can come on very quickly, sir.” The doctor said softly. 

 

Shiro took in a shaky breath. “W-why wasn’t I notified?”

 

“We only caught in an hour ago sir, we wanted to stabilize him before we contacted you.” 

 

“Stabilized?” Shiro echoed, eyes widening as he looked back the doctor. 

 

“His oxygen level plummeted.” The doctor explained, “and his temperature increased along with his heartbeat.” The doctor placed a gentle hand on Shiro’s bionic arm and eased him towards Keith, “Heartbeat and oxygen levels are back to good levels and while his temperature level is still a tad high, we’re hoping we caught it in time and that the antibiotics will cure him.”

 

“So he’ll be fine?” Shiro asked softly, eyes on Keith’s face. 

 

“...We hope so.”

 

The pause told Shiro more than the three words the doctor actually said. Uncertainty painted each syllable thickly. They had no idea how Keith was going to turn out, they were giving them hopeful words. 

 

Shiro sank into the offered chair, his gray eyes honing on Keith’s pale, fever-flushed face. His flesh hand automatically reaching out to grasp Keith’s, the robotic one wrapping around them, cradling Keith’s in-between. Unknowingly, tears slipped from his eyes, the salty water falling from his chin unburdened. His eyes never wavered. His hold never weakened. The doctor and nurse left without another word, knowing that the Commander was no longer with them. 

 

* * *

 

Days trickled by. The other Paladins popped in periodically but Shiro honestly didn’t give them much thought. The oxygen mask that once covered Keith’s face was replaced with a breathing tube, a soft swooshing noise filling the silence that once encompassed the room. More and more bags were added to the IV pole. Another port was added to Keith’s other arm to pump more drugs into the lithe body. 

 

And Shiro ran out of tears to weep. 

 

His heart laid on the bed, each beat a battle to complete. 

 

“He’ll get better.”

 

Shiro didn’t acknowledge the softly spoke words. He heard them numerous times in a handful of days. Another chair was pulled up beside him, a body plopping into it. “Its Keith, he’ll get better. There’s no other option.” 

 

Shiro couldn’t help it, a choked chuckle broke through. That sounded like Keith. He was a stubborn fucker but even the most stubborn of people can crumble under another pressure. “He knows we’re waiting for him,” 

 

Shiro glanced to the right, his soul being tugged at the sight of a sleep deprived, stressed Pidge nestled in a chair with their legs pulled to their chest. Shadowed hazel eyes were trained on the prone body before them. 

 

“He’ll wake up and yell at us for worrying so much.” They continued, “He hates when we worry over him.” 

 

Shiro’s eyes drifted back to the man they were talking about. 

 

“I remember when he got sick once on the Castle while you were gone. It was like...being cared for was a foreign concept to him.” Pidge snorted, “although maybe that’s not far off.” They added in a mutter, turning their head to pillow their cheek on their knees. 

 

“Getting him to lay down was impossible.” 

 

Shiro smiled softly; fondly. “Sounds like him. Although, it's all an act.” Shiro said quietly, his throat closing up as somehow tears blossomed in his eyes, “He loves the affection.”

 

“Oh, we figured that out.” Pidge said with a laugh as a few tears slipped from their eyes, “Practically started purring when Lance started petting his hair. Lance’s face was hilarious.”

 

Shiro rolled his eyes. Those two. They were the perfect image of brothers. Always ragging on each other but always each other’s confidants and backup. Lance was in the room almost as much as he has been, blue eyes sorrowful as he took vigil. 

 

“He said he was going to save it as blackmail.” Continued Pidge, “Never used it though. Think it was the smartest thing Lance ever did.” Pidge wrapped their arms tighter around their legs, “I wish we found him sooner.” 

 

Shiro raised an eyebrow at that statement. 

 

Pidge’s eyes were trained on Keith. “We all had families. Friends. You had Adam until shortly before Kerberos. But...Keith had no one except you.”

 

“And I-”

 

“Left.” Pidge finished, “Well, went missing but still. To go through that alone. Pidge shook their head, “I wish we found him sooner. Took down his walls sooner.” Tears fell in earnest from Pidge’s eyes, “Let him know we love him sooner. That he’s our brother.” They buried their head into their knees, “I can’t lose my brother, Shiro. I can’t.”

 

Shiro wanted to reach out and comfort but instead his eyes stayed on Keith. Chest moving freely with artificial breath. Body weaken with infection. Skin pale. Form still. 

 

Pidge didn’t want to lose their brother.

 

Shiro didn’t want to lose his love. 

 

His soul.

 

His life.

 

His heartbeat. 


End file.
